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With what? Old and broken CP3? Clint Capela and his albatross contract? PJ Tucker? They don't have a pick this year in the first round. If they get AD to pair with Harden, their pick next year will be worth nothing. They don't have assets. They went hard to win now, and it failed.

And they almost made it worse by offering all those picks for Jimmy Butler.

Man I dunno - Harden, Jrue, Zion is a team that can actually compete with the Warriors, even if it takes a year or two for Zion to develop. If you were to draw up the perfect backcourt partner for Harden it would be Jrue. If you were to draw up a PF for Harden to throw lobs to and constantly be cutting and moving, Zion is a pretty good match for that.

Plus he's locked up longer so you can always flip him if need be later.

Man I dunno - Harden, Jrue, Zion is a team that can actually compete with the Warriors, even if it takes a year or two for Zion to develop. If you were to draw up the perfect backcourt partner for Harden it would be Jrue. If you were to draw up a PF for Harden to throw lobs to and constantly be cutting and moving, Zion is a pretty good match for that.

Plus he's locked up longer so you can always flip him if need be later.

That’s what I was thinking add some shooting and you have an instant playoff team

If the Cs pony up Tatum, Brown and Smart + the Memphis pick, is there another deal you'd take instead? Part of me would love to see those three + Zion and Jrue starting in Gentry's system, playing at the fastest pace in the league and switching on everyone. Basically our version of the Hampton's Five/Death Lineup...

The reasons I'm adamantly against going for Harden are basically as follows:

1) Harden is a shoot-first, pass-second, defense-never chucker who pounds the ball and plays iso. I don't want a team to build around that identity, and I think that it would be a terrible system to try and develop Zion in, since it would take the ball out of Zion's hands, minimise the time he could spend developing as a ball-handler and passer, and essentially turn him into mini-Capela.

2) Harden is a choker who collapses in the playoffs regularly. We keep talking about deep playoff runs, but obviously the goal is the finals and a championship, and I have absolutely no faith that you can win a finals with Harden as your leading guy.

3) This is a more subjective one, so I understand if people don't agree here, but I watch basketball because I think it's fun. That's why I started watching it, and that's why I continue watching it. As a fan, I don't want watching my team to be a painful chore. Sometimes it has been this year, and in previous years, just due to awful players, but there is almost nothing I enjoy less than watching Harden dribble for 20 seconds at the top of the key before launching up a stupid three with the sole intention of getting fouled for free throws. It's boring, it's annoying, it's unsatisfying, and it doesn't work in the playoffs which is why Harden keeps choking and getting bounced. Trading for Harden would make me hate watching my own team.

When do you think the deadline is that Klutch gave Griff to get a deal done?

Been thinking about this, and surely this meeting wasn't just Griff and the Pels flexing on AD and Klutch. My guess is that if that hasn't happened yet, it will happen when Paul and AD reiterate definitively that Davis still wants to be traded. Then they'll give Pels a deadline.

The leverage those guys have is a very public declaration that AD still intends to opt out of his contract and sign with the Lakers in 2020. They don't necessarily have a strong hand to play, but that card is definitely sitting there for them as the Joker. I don't see Klutch allowing this to just play out on Griff's timetable. They'll be the primary party wanting AD traded before the draft.

I think all parties may want to be respectful of the NBA finals, but I'd expect a trade to be announced if not on an off day between games, then the day after whoever wins has their victory parade!

When do you think the deadline is that Klutch gave Griff to get a deal done?

Been thinking about this, and surely this meeting wasn't just Griff and the Pels flexing on AD and Klutch. My guess is that if that hasn't happened yet, it will happen when Paul and AD reiterate definitively that Davis still wants to be traded. Then they'll give Pels a deadline.

The leverage those guys have is a very public declaration that AD still intends to opt out of his contract and sign with the Lakers in 2020. They don't necessarily have a strong hand to play, but that card is definitely sitting there for them as the Joker. I don't see Klutch allowing this to just play out on Griff's timetable. They'll be the primary party wanting AD traded before the draft.

I think all parties may want to be respectful of the NBA finals, but I'd expect a trade to be announced if not on an off day between games, then the day after whoever wins has their victory parade!

Not sure. The Lakers would have to forgo signing free agents now (when the big names are available) in order to hold open a spot for AD next year. That would waste another year of an aging Lebron. Not sure that is a ton of leverage, but I understand the point. I think it is best for all if a trade is done by the draft. I would expect it will go down to that week before the draft before something gets finalized.

Man I dunno - Harden, Jrue, Zion is a team that can actually compete with the Warriors, even if it takes a year or two for Zion to develop. If you were to draw up the perfect backcourt partner for Harden it would be Jrue. If you were to draw up a PF for Harden to throw lobs to and constantly be cutting and moving, Zion is a pretty good match for that.

Plus he's locked up longer so you can always flip him if need be later.

If you were to draw up a PF for Harden to throw lobs to and be constantly cutting and moving, Zion would be a pretty good match.

If you were to draw up a guard for Zion to play with and develop from, using his very varied skillset including his ability to create off the dribble, run the offense in transition, create for himself in the post and in the halfcourt, then Harden would be probably very very very low down on that list.

If your goal is ''design a team around Harden'', then Zion is probably a good fit, because it maximises Harden. If your goal is ''design a team around Zion'', then Harden is pretty low on the list because he minimises Zion's talents and turns him into, as I said, basically Capela 2.0

If you were to draw up a PF for Harden to throw lobs to and be constantly cutting and moving, Zion would be a pretty good match.

If you were to draw up a guard for Zion to play with and develop from, using his very varied skillset including his ability to create off the dribble, run the offense in transition, create for himself in the post and in the halfcourt, then Harden would be probably very very very low down on that list.

If your goal is ''design a team around Harden'', then Zion is probably a good fit, because it maximises Harden. If your goal is ''design a team around Zion'', then Harden is pretty low on the list because he minimises Zion's talents and turns him into, as I said, basically Capela 2.0

This, need to surround Zion with all around players who can pass shoot and defend, people like jrue and a Chris Paul type, not cp3 himself but you know what I mean, a Ja Morant would be perfect

If you were to draw up a PF for Harden to throw lobs to and be constantly cutting and moving, Zion would be a pretty good match.

If you were to draw up a guard for Zion to play with and develop from, using his very varied skillset including his ability to create off the dribble, run the offense in transition, create for himself in the post and in the halfcourt, then Harden would be probably very very very low down on that list.

If your goal is ''design a team around Harden'', then Zion is probably a good fit, because it maximises Harden. If your goal is ''design a team around Zion'', then Harden is pretty low on the list because he minimises Zion's talents and turns him into, as I said, basically Capela 2.0

The goal is to win a championship. I don't care how it's phrased who the team is built around as long as it works.

Zion could be the second coming of MJ, or he could end up being a bust. The best bet to try and develop him is probably not to throw him immediately into the fire with the weight of the team on him.

The question was asked if I'd do Harden for AD straight up. The answer is Yes. I'd do it before he even finished the sentence. I hate Harden's game as much as everyone but the dude can flat out ball and Jrue and Zion cover over his weaknesses while play into his strengths. It's a MUCH better pairing than with Chris Paul and that team already took the Warriors to the brink twice.

The goal is to win a championship. I don't care how it's phrased who the team is built around as long as it works.

Zion could be the second coming of MJ, or he could end up being a bust. The best bet to try and develop him is probably not to throw him immediately into the fire with the weight of the team on him.

The question was asked if I'd do Harden for AD straight up. The answer is Yes. I'd do it before he even finished the sentence. I hate Harden's game as much as everyone but the dude can flat out ball and Jrue and Zion cover over his weaknesses while play into his strengths. It's a MUCH better pairing than with Chris Paul and that team already took the Warriors to the brink twice.

Okay, good for you.

For me, the goal isn't to win a championship. Or rather, that's only one part of the long term goal which is sustained generational success. Ultimate goal is 10 years plus as a playoff team, with multiple championship opportunity. Spurs, essentially.

You don't get that by shoehorning your all-world-potential young guy into the role of super-roleplayer so that you can pump 500 isolation plays through an inefficient chucker who chokes in the playoffs. You also don't get it by throwing away your best chance at gaining assets to attain that chucker. Zion has an unbelievable ceiling. Putting an artificial cap on that ceiling for the sake of satisfying James Harden might win you a chip, but it would be a far too bitter pill to swallow. You'd be passing on a much higher potential team and getting a far less appealing product out of it. What good is the banner in the rafters if attaining the banner made you disgusted to watch your own team?

For me, the goal isn't to win a championship. Or rather, that's only one part of the long term goal which is sustained generational success. Ultimate goal is 10 years plus as a playoff team, with multiple championship opportunity. Spurs, essentially.

You don't get that by shoehorning your all-world-potential young guy into the role of super-roleplayer so that you can pump 500 isolation plays through an inefficient chucker who chokes in the playoffs. You also don't get it by throwing away your best chance at gaining assets to attain that chucker. Zion has an unbelievable ceiling. Putting an artificial cap on that ceiling for the sake of satisfying James Harden might win you a chip, but it would be a far too bitter pill to swallow. You'd be passing on a much higher potential team and getting a far less appealing product out of it. What good is the banner in the rafters if attaining the banner made you disgusted to watch your own team?

You see it as shoehorning him into some specific role. I see it as allowing him to develop behind a MVP level player put into a perfect situation.

A banner means everything, period. What are you seriously going to not be able to enjoy a championship team because it wasn't done with the players you want or running a style you don't like? Lol. Give me a break.

You see it as shoehorning him into some specific role. I see it as allowing him to develop behind a MVP level player put into a perfect situation.

A banner means everything, period. What are you seriously going to not be able to enjoy a championship team because it wasn't done with the players you want or running a style you don't like? Lol. Give me a break.

I mean, I don't mean to sound like I'm being pedantic here, but yes, I'm saying that if I don't enjoy watching the games, I won't enjoy watching the games. Thought that would be a little obvious, tbh.

The point isn't about whether you like the sport or not. The point I was making was winning at all costs is more important than 1 fan finding the games boring or not.

I also find it very hard to believe that you will find the team a boring chore simply because Harden is on it. When we are crossing into the 60 win territory I bet your tune will have changed.

I speak from my perspective, and my perspective only. I don't expect the team or the management or the front office to care about what I think. When I'm talking about what I think, it's my opinion and that's all, and if you don't want to discuss my the opinions of individuals then forums aren't the best places to be.

I find James Harden boring. His game is boring, at best, when it's not annoying. I didn't bother watching any of their first round playoff games because I dislike watching his style so much. If (not when, not sure why you're acting like the trade is already done) we did that trade and got to 60 wins, I'd be rooting for the team, obviously, but I'd be hard pressed to watch the games with anything like the regularity I do now. I've watched pretty much every game this team has played for the past three seasons or so, and about 70% of the games in the previous couple of seasons before that. I don't think I'd be able to bring myself to watch more than 40 games if the New Orleans Pelicans became the James Harden Free Throw Showcase.

Obviously that's nobody else's problem, but on a forum where we all come to share our opinions, ideas, judgements, and responses, that's mine. If you don't agree, good for you.